Daily Mail concerned about Wiis in P.E

January 28th, 2008, 17:05 Posted By: Shrygue

via Eurogamer


Five schools in Worcestershire have been using the Wii in physical education classes to encourage youngsters to get active.

The initiative is being lead by the Droitwich and Worcester City School Partnership, which boasted positive heart rate-quickening results to UK newspaper the The Daily Mail.

"The use of computer games to increase physical activity levels and raise attainment to some would seem contradictory, but with rigid structures in place and by using specific games students soon found themselves being active and engaged almost without realising it," enthused a spokesperson for the Partnership.

But not everyone sees the benefit. The Mail claims a recent study proved playing a game on Wii only expends 2 per cent more energy than playing on traditional consoles.

And Nick Seaton from the Campaign for Real Education is worried it will encourage children to play videogames instead of doing conventional exercise.

"I think most sensible parents will think this is surrendering to the laziest pupils, it cannot possibly be any replacement for serious games and competition between peer group," said Seaton.

As we all know videogames are often cast as villainous in the mainstream media, blamed for causing children to eat less healthily and burn less calories and attack old ladies and play quiz games.

Slightly ironic that Nintendo should come under fire for moving away from a seated gaming environment then, particularly as its new Wii Fit product quite literally tells you how fat you are before making you bob around and head footballs.

"We now want to turn the living room into a fitness centre for the whole family," said Nintendo UK marketing mouth Dawn Paine. "Perish the thought, but video games can now make you fit."

Apparently as many as one in five boys and girls will be obese by 2020. Hover boards to follow.

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